Traffic signal



Nov. 10. 1925.

P. R. HATTON TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Sept. 11; 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jnucnfoz Phi/1 7; E. Hailon,

Nov. 10, 1925.

P. R. HATTON TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Sept. 11. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Passed Nov. 10, 1:92;.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

PHILIR It. HA'I'TOILOF LEBANON, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOB TO THE-LEBANON CHINE ma, 0! LEBANON, NEW HAM PBHIBE.

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Application filed September 11, 1923. Serial No. 662,070.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, PHILIP R. Harrow, a citizen of the United States, residin at Lebanon, in the county of Grafton and tate "of New Ham shire, have invented certain new and usefhl Improvements in Trafiic Signals,-of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tratiic signals and especially to that type which is set on the pavement in the center of street intersections for guidance of trailic. It is a purpose of the invention to provide a device which will be cheap to manufacture, yet durable and eflicient in operation. A still further purpose is to provide a device of flexible form which will automatically right itself in the event of collision by vehicular traffic. It is also an aim to provide a sig nal device embodying a special feature whereby the light element is protected againstjolts and jars, such as produced when struck by a vehicle, and will be warded from the path of a wheel if directed toward the light.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention may reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as may become apparent from the following description and drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is an elcvational view of my signal in use,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View thereof, enlarged,

Fig. 3 is a top view of the guard element,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of signal,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of base element for the signal,

Fig. 6 is a modification of the guard element and its mounting.

There is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a traffic signal including a circular base 10 which is preferably of cast iron, having a convex upper side 11. Centrally through this base an opening 12 is formed in which there is securely held by a screw 13, a light standard 14. In the present instance, this standard is in the form of a resilient flexible coiled-metal tube, and carries at its upper part an electric light lamp socket 15. Secured within the lamp socket, an electric light bulb 16 is shown, which may be energized by means of the wires 17 extending downwardly through the tube or standard 14 to a suitable source of current. A wire guard element 18 is shown protecting the bulb and carried upon the lam socket in any ap roved manner. At a suitable point upon t 1e standard 14, but preferably near the lamp socket, a butter element 19 is mounted. The buffer 19 in the present instance 1s shown as an annular ring havmg four radial arms 20 and hub element 21, the hub having an aperture 22 of a size to receive slidably therethrough the standard 14. A set screw 23 is providedextending through the hub to impinge upon the standard for positive retention of the buffer upon the standard. By this arrangement, it will be seen that the buffer may be adjusted variously upon the standard 'to suit different needs and occasions. The rim 19 may be of rubber or rubber-faced, if desired.

In the use of this device, it will be seen that should the driver of a car fail to judge his distance properly, or'by any cause run upon the base, even though the wheel may approach in line with the standard 14, the

wheel will strike the bufler 19 pushing the electric bulb and standard to one side, allowing the wheel to pass freely, after which the standard will swing back into erect position for proper display of the signal.

It is important to note that the rim 19 is of a diameter quite substantial as compared to that of the wheels of motor vehicles as now ordinarily constructed, and sufficient to cause it to engage both the felly and the spokes near the hub of a wheel, or across two spokes or against the recessed disc of a wheel in such manner as to hold the light safe against being struck by the projecting hub or other wheel parts. If the rim 19 were of small diameter, it might swing between the spokes or between the felly and hub in such. manner that the lightwould be directly struck by parts of the wheel. The buffer 19 is adjusted preferably at a height to lie just below the hub caps of the smaller wheels of vehicles, and it will then be in position above running boards, so that it will guard the light against being struck by the lower parts of fenders adjacent the running boards.

In Fig. 4, I have illustrated a construc-, tion of signal employing a liquid fuel as the light source. Here the base 24 is in outward appearance, similar to that described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, but has upper side, closed I 7 through the top of the base,

formed in the center thereof, a filling opening 26 being shown upon the by a cap 27. Centrally an opening 28 is formed in which there is securely lield a small flexible metal tubing 29 through which a wick element 30 is extended down into the reservoir 25. Cireumscribing the opening 28, there is a larger opening 31 in which a resilient flexible metal standard 32 of similar construction to that previously described, is mounted, carrying-at its upper end a suitable form of lamp 33 and protecting guard 3- A buffer 19 is shown, also, operating, in the manner before described.

In the event that a rigid standard is desired, this may be effected as shown in Fig. 5, and still retain the swinging motion of the signal, whereby the lamp element may be swung outwardly of the )ath of a vehicle. In this construction the base has a hollow interior35. The upper face of the base is suitably apertured and cupped for through.

.above and below, respectively,

reception of a ball joint 37 of a rigid standard 38, having a'stem 36 projecting within the base. A cap element 39 may be fitted down over the ball 37 andsuitably fastened to the base, the cap being sufliciently open at the top to permit free swinging movement of the signal, in any direction, the direction of movement of t'he'signal depend-1v ing upon the angle at which the/signal is struck by a vehicle. A short distance below the ball 37 a counterweight element 40 is formed upon the stem 36 and to the element 40 oneend of each of four or more radial springs 41 are secured; the opposite ends being secured to eye members 42 on the interior 35 of the base. The standard 38 is hollow throughout its length so that electrical wires 43 may be threaded there- In Fig. 6, I have shown a further formof bufler whereby the filament of an electric light may be saved. severe jolts due to collisions. An oscillatable standard 44 of any suitable construction is shown carrying a lamp mounting 45 as before. The buffer element 46, however, is shown as a hoop element encircling the standard and without any rigid connection thereto, being supported by sets of spring elements 47 from a reservoir 25,

extending from the hoop to thestandard. device in operation, when the ment is struck, the hoop element will tend to move away from the object striking the signal and motion gradually imparted to the light through the springs; and not until after the part of the movement of the hoop has occurred will full movement of the light occur with the standard.

I claim:

1. In a device of. the character described, a base, a light element, an oscillatable mounting therefor, extending upwardly With this from the base, and an encircling member a distance carried by the mounting spaced aboye the base lying below the light and pro ecting a distance thercbcvond horizontally, for the purposes described, said encircling member comprising an annular rim, a hub part adjustable vertically on the mounting, and connecting rim and hub.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 in which the annular rim is of a size to so engage between felly and spokes or across spokes of a vehicle wheel as to hold the light element clear of wheel parts.

3. A lamp structurecomprising a reservoir base element, a flexible coiled-metal wick holder leading voir, a burner at the upper end of the wick holder, a wick carried by said burner and extending through reservoir, and an outer resilient coiled metal member fixed on the burner around the wick %older and separately connected to said ase.

4. In a device of the character described, a flexible resilient standard, a lighting device mounted on the upper end thereof, and a guard device adjustable on the standard including an annular buffer part and having a parts between hub slidable on the standard and means to PHILIP R. HATTON.

buffer ale-- the wick holder to the 

